“The book is about capturing life’s little moments,” Chapman said. “People always think to preserve the memory of their wedding day, but they forget to preserve things that are just as important, like their first jobs or first apartment.”

The book, which includes more than 95 ideas for lifestyle photography similar to the images found on the duo’s blog, has been a hit so far among fans. In fact, one San Antonio library that is stocking the book already has 45 holds on it.

“The response has been amazing. We are overwhelmed by it,” Chapman said.

The book is divided into eight sections that include topics on backdrops and props, lighting, selfies, photographing others and DIY projects that help show off photos. The projects are especially creative; the sisters provide instructions for creating photo-transfer lampshades, coaster sets and even cupcake toppers.

Larson and Chapman take a unique approach in their book. Instead of focusing on specific apertures and camera functions, they write about things in simpler, broader terms. For instance, instead of explaining the exact flashes someone should use in each type of light, Larson and Chapman suggest taking photos near windows and at specific times of the day.

Their no-fuss approach to photography stems from their own lives. The women received their first cameras while they were still in high school. Self-taught, the two began taking thousands of photos for their blogs, realizing what worked and what didn’t.

They also were inspired to take pictures by their grandfather.

“Our grandfather loved taking pictures of his life. Elsie and I loved seeing that stuff, and we wanted to preserve our lives like he did,” Chapman said.

The actual tips and how-tos in their book are peppered among stories and beautiful imagery, making the book easy to read and fun to look at, much like the sisters’ blog.

“Writing a book was a lot different from blogging. It’s much harder, but also much more fulfilling. It was really fun to work with a team and an editor, too,” Chapman said.

While their new book has only just hit bookstores, Larson and Chapman are already working on finishing a new one that is set to be released next summer. Their next book will be all about interior design and, in similar fashion to A Beautiful Mess Photo Idea Book, will include photos of their homes, and tips and tricks for interior design.

In the meantime, the sisters hope to continue to grow their brand.

“We hope to keep doing books and working on our blog,” Larson said.

Chapman agreed.

“We’re in a really good place with our blog and app. We just hope to continue to have the successes we have had,” she said.

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